Briquetting process and machine



w. A. LORENZ BRIQUETTING PROCESS AND MACHINE Oct. 21 1924- Filed March 5, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 fivenor:

Oct. 21. 1924.

W. A. LORENZ BRIQUETTING PROCESS AND MACHINE 2 Sheets-Shet 2 Filed March 5, 1921 I "II R Jiwenzor:

Patented Oct. 21, 1924.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM A. LORENZ, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

BRIQUEITING PROCESS AND MACHINE.

Application filed March 5, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. LORENZ, a citizen of United States, residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented new and useful Improvements in BriquettingProcesses and Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention comprises improvements 1n briquetting substances, and in machinery therefor, and is particularly adaptable to the briquetting of snow in blocks or briquettes, as well as other substances, such as earth, refuse, fuel.

In the drawings Figure 1 represents a plan view and Fig. 2 an end view of a series of briquettes joined together; Fig. 3 shows an end view of a detached briquette; Fig. 4 represents a pile of briquettes; Fig. 5 is a plan view of the briquetting machine, and Fig. 6 a sectional view of the briquetting machine on the line 66 of Fig. 5.

In the drawings 8888 represent a series of snow or other briquettes, which are provided with longitudinal projections 9-9. These projections are thinned at 10 in order that the briquettes may be readily broken apart. These briquettes are produced in a sausage-like manner, and may preferably have conical ends 11, 11.

The projections 9-9 are to serve as handles by which the briquettes may be readily lifted. They also serve to prevent the briquettes from rolling, when they are piled up, as shown in Fig. 4.

The briquettes are preferably made in cylindrical, or approximately cylindrical form, in order that when piled, as shown in Fig. 4 they will not adhere to each other or freeze together readily. The spaces 12-12 between the briquettes enable them to be pried apart, if they should become frozen together.

The apparatus for producing these briquettes is shown in Figs. 5 and 6, in which 15 represents the snow which is scooped up by the machine as shown in Fig. 6, 16 representing the scoop, and 17 representing the bottom of the scoop which may be heated, the heat being introduced by means of a pipe as 18.

As the machine advances in the direction of the arrow 19, the now is forced between Serial No. 449,821.

two rotating compressor wheels 20 and 21, which revolve in the same direction, being drlven by suitable power, not shown, and

applied to these wheels through the gearing 22 and 23. I

The compressor wheels 20 and 21 may be of any desired size, and may have any desired number of pockets in the circumferences, which are shown at 24: and 25. The wheels may be hollow, as shown at 27 and 28, and hot air may be introduced through the pipe 29, and the surplus air may pass out through the opening 30, so as to maintain a constant current of hot air. This machine may be carried upon a truck and may be driven by suitable power.

The snow 15 moves rearwardly, and is compressed at 35, and then will be further compressed into a briquette at 36, between the two wheels 20 and 21. As the wheels rotate, the projections 9 may be pinched in a narrow form as at 10; the briquette 36 will be forced upwardly to the position 37, passing between guides. As the wheels rotate,

the briquette is forced upwardly; a knife 38 may be used to cut ofi the briquette, making the separated briquette 40, which may fall, or be pushed downwardly, through a chute.

These briquettes may be deposited in the gutter or at the edge of the sidewalk; there they may be piled up, until. ready to be re moved. Meanwhile the street will be clear, allowing the passage of vehicles. The briquettes may be removed by lifting them by, the handles 9-9, and dumping them into a cart. Various modifications may be 'made in this apparatus, and in the form of briquette, without departing from the spirit of this invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. Means for forming briquettes of snow, which consists of an apparatus to gather and compress the snow, two rotary compressing cylinders, having pockets therein for receiving and compressing the snow, and having necking devices that cooperate to form projections on the sides of the briquettes, means to rotate the compressing cylinders and pass the briquettes to breaking means,

and means to break off the briquettes to separate them.

2. Means for forming briquettes of snow, which consists of an apparatus to gather and quettes to separate them, and pass them downwardly through a chute.

Signed at Hartford, Connecticut thi 4th day of March, 1921..

V VILLIAM A. LORENZ.

Witnesses D. BIAUDE SMITH, MARGARET T. DENNIS. 

